Students listen as Michelle Houts discusses the life span of a book.
Walnut Springs students in Tammy Saltzmann’s seventh-grade classes were treated to a visit from Ohio author Michelle Houts on Friday, April 26. Houts writes books for children and young adults. Her book The Beef Princess of Practical County, about Ohio farm life, won the IRA Children’s and Young Adult’s Book Award for Intermediate Fiction.
During the presentation, pupils learned about the entire “life span” of a book from its birth as a manuscript to reaching its full maturity on the shelves of booksellers and libraries. Students got a glimpse into many professions involved in the process and the personal and educational strengths needed for each role. Houts was one of more than 100 authors visiting the area this week for the Ohioana Book Festival, held at the Columbus Metropolitan Main Library.